Electric meter.



6Q 664,265. Patehted 066. I8, 1906.

- E. s. HALSEY.

ELECTRIC METER.

(Application filed July 5, 1900.)

2 Shasta-Sheet I.

' (N Modal.)

ggmmmm mm lgguml No. 664,265. 7 I Patented D60. 18,1906.

E s. HALSEY.

ELECTRlC METER.

(Application filed July fi, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED TATES EDWARD s. I-IALSEY, or. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC METER.

sPEcIFicATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,265, dated December 18, 19cc.

Application filed .Tn1y5, 1900. SerialNo. 22.503. \Nomodel.)

To to whom it may cancer-n.- 3

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. HALSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ohicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Electric Me; ter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an integrating electric-current meter of a mercury-motor type; andthe objects of my invention are to make a meter of the simplest possible construction and operation combined with the best working results requiring the least possible effort for maintenance, great permanency and durability, lightness, compactness, and general economy of construction, simple means of regulation, and a means of adapting a simple meter to a three-wire service, as will be more fully set forth.

My present invention is an improvement in the same class of meters as is set forth by my United States patentof June 13, 1899, No. 626,832, in which I illustrate in Figure 7 and describe in a crude form (but the case (lid not permit me to fully claim) one of the several forms which are set forth by the following specification and claims, all of which consist of a set of wheel-train counters driven by a small motor through which the current to be measured passes or a definite part thereof, and the speed of rotation of said motor is in direct keeping with the amount of current passing through it. The motor consists of a constant magnetic field, preferably that of a permanent magnet. In this field rotates an armature consisting of a continuous piece of copper about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness and carried by avertical shaft, which is geared through awornrto the recording mechanism at its upper end. But asmall part of the armature lieswithin the magnetic field at one time. The current is led to the armature by two small electrodes that dip into the mercury into which the armature is submerged at opposite borders of the field, so that the current will have to travel the whole length of the field.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Fig. l is a front elevation of my preferred form with the cover 12 broken away to expose the mechanism and back board, and a small portion of the mercury-receptacle is broken away to show the interior arrangement. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan through the line A Aof Fig.1. The integrating mechanism is shown separate from the meter by Fig. 3, beinga perspective, Fig. 4 a plan, and Fig. 5 a cross-section, thereof, the latter being close inside of one of the ends of the frame, so as to expose the workings of the reciprocating differential driving-gear. 'Fig. 6 is a fraction of the armature-shaft, showing a cross-section through ballast-weight 7. Fig. 7 shows the detachable spiral worm, which is again shown in Fig.8 fitted into shallow threads cut in the end of the armature-shaft. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the center of another form in which both poles of the magnet 1 are presented to the top of the armature and are magnetically yoked beneath the disk by the iron plate or bottom 6. Fig. 10 is a plan of Fig. 9, but with the magnet and uppermost parts removed. Fig. 11

is a front elevation of another form having two magnets and four small pole-pieces, two

of which are below the disk. It also shows three current-leads, one at the outside of each field and one between, so as to adapt it for three-wire work, so that it could be connected to a three-wire service, and two circuits leading to translating devices, one'on each side of an Edison distributing system, as is shown by Fig. 12, which is a covered meter M, connected to light-circuits, and a threewire service, shown in a conventional manner that is self-explanatory. .Fig. 13 is an enlarged fractional section of one form of the mercury-chamber. This figure is introduced to show a practical manner of introducing the pole-pieces 5 into the fiber disk 3 and showing the stationary amalgamated conductor around the field, a provision for screwing one of them farther or nearer to the armature-disk, thus adjusting the resistance of the drag-circuit. Fig. 14 is a plan of a split-washer weight to besprung on the shaft to increase or decrease the buoyancy of the armature.

My invention is most completely shown by Figs. 1 and 2, which is my preferred form and is constructed substantially as follows: The body or mercury and armature receptacle is.

constructed of two main parts--the iron disk 6, with the concave lug cast on the left side to make magnetic contact with one pole of the magnet. The other main part is the vulcanized-fiber disk 3 four and one-half inches in diameter, with a circular iron pole-piece 5 seven-eighths of an inch in diameter firmly fitted in a hole bored down through it near the edge of the copper disk armature 2, which is three and five-eighths inches in diameter, leaving a field-gap of full one-eighth of an inch between its pole-face and the bottom pole piece or plate 6, which space or distance is maintained and the mercury retained by the fiber washer 31 between the edges of said .top and bottom disks, and a circle of twelve screws piercing the peripheries of both disks and also the washer, serving to clamp the two together onto the washer, forming a mercurytight junction, an inverted-U cast magnet 1 to be secured to the backboard 10 by screws that do not show. The stock of the magnet is three and one-fourth inches by five-eighths of an inch, as is best seen in Fig. 2. The wooden backboard is machined out semicircular to let the receptacle set back into it, so that the lug on the iron plate (3 just matches the south pole of the magnet, where it is secured by two screws passing up through it and tapped into the corners of the magnet, the north end of the magnet being joined to the pole-piece 5 in a similar way through the medium of the stamping 15 of one-fourth inch soft iron. In this manner the body is attached to and supported by the magnet, which is screwed to the backboard. The frame 9 is bent from two strips of aluminium which are joined at their centers by two screws which clamp and support the top bearing for the armature-shaft 4:. The bottom ends of the frame are bent at right angles, making feet, through which pass four of the screws that clamp them firmly with the body.

'The frame is also provided with two screwholes 40, by which the integrating mechan ism is to be fixed into place. The shaft is Very slender, of spring tempered steel, and is run to a point at either end that is stepped in point-bearings, as is best shown in Figs. 9 and 13. The interior chamber is entirely fitted with mercury up into the center opening, as is seen in Fig. 9. The buoyancy of the copper disk which is submerged in the mercury is considerable, it being over one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness and the difference in their specific gravities being great. To overcome this, I use the circular copper weight 7, carried by the shaft, it being sustained by the friction-clamp 24 (shown in Fig. 6) and consisting of a spiral spring wound with a smaller circumference than the shaft and retained in an interior cavity of the weight, the shaft being forced through it and being of such a tension that it will yield readily to the pressure of the hand, but will always sustain its own weight. 011 the bottom of the weight is cemented the softrubber disk 28, with an opening through its center so small that the shaft must be crowded through it. The binding. of this rubber alone is sufiicient to sustain the weight; but for fear it may loosen its hold as it grows old the auxiliary 24 is added. The rubber gasket and the weight are adapted to be lowered by the hand into a recess bored in the fibered disk, and, as is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, a link cross-bar 29 is adapted to be swung around so as to engage the top of the weight and the screw and nut 30, by means of which the bar can be depressed, clamping down and holding the weight and compressing the rubber gasket :28, sealing mercurytight the opening around the shaft, so that the meter may be inverted or transported in any position without spilling the mercury. As no two armatures may have the same buoyancy and as it may vary from time to time and as it is desirable to have the buoyancy nicely compensated for, so that there will be no perceptible pressure at either bearing, but the armature and shaft will be poised between them, I find it desirable to make the main weight some lighter than is necessary and have always at hand small weights 41, being light stam pings of sheet metal with a center hole and a narrow slot, so that they can be readily sprung astride the shaft and be self-retaining, and by their addition or re moval a balance can be readily attained.

The upper end of the shaftis provided with a detachable webbed spiral worm 8 for driving the worm-wheel 19 of the recording mechanism. This worm is screwed by the fingers into shallow threads cut on the end of the shaft. I find it a very excellent and economical way of making the worm for the shaft. I can also in this way make it of material that cannot rustland cause friction when installed in damp places or from other cause. One important reason for makingit this way is so that it can be readliy removed to allow the ballast-weight 7 to be putin place or removed. There is provided for the whole mechanism and backboard aremovable rectangular aluminium cover the plan outline of which is shown in part bythe dotted line 47. The removable part consists of four surrounding sides and a front, which contains a glass window, as shown in Fig. 12. The cover is of sufficient depth so that it cannot come in contact with the mechanism, but fits close around the edges of the backboard, coming flush with its back all around when pushed back into place. fractionally and cross-sectioned up and down the fulllength of both sides of the backboard, being pushed back and crowded in between the spring bead or roll 11 of a back sheet of metal 39 and the edge of the backboard, thus forming a dust and insect proof junction between the full length of both sides of the removable cover and the back of the meter. I also form a tight joint between the cover and backboard at the top and bottom by other means, which I do not here attempt to set In Figs. 1 and 2 its rim 12 is shown forth or claim. There is always a liability of some mercury leaking out or being spilled through misuse or careless handling. Brass, zinc, tin, solder, and, in fact, all the common metals that are usually employed in manufacturing of such articles as meter covers readily become amalgamated upon coming into contact with mercury and in most cases made rotten and useless, crumbling at the least strain, also becoming discolored. Iron and aluminium are the only common metals that do not readily amalgamate, especially aluminium, with which it is accomplishedwith great dificulty, and if left to itself for a few moments will shed it again entirely.

On account of the cover exposing a large surface in very close proximity to the magnet on all sides it is impracticable to use an iron cover, as the strength of the magnet would be materially weakened thereby. My in vestigation developed the fact that aluminium is the only metal of which it is practicable, in such a meter as mine, to construct a cover and aframe 9, (which forms metallic continuity across the poles of the magnet.) Aluminium also most successfully resists corrosion, and I prefer to leave its exterior without Japan or other than its natural finish. Its cost per square foot is less than that of brass. I may, however, make the back plate 39 of brass on account of the greater spring qualities in the bead-roll 11 and 11 on its two sides, the construction being such that if mercury becomes liberated inside the cover it will not come into contact with and rest against the back plate.

Two cleats of wood 35 and 35, screwed across the back, aiford greater insulation, stiffen the board, and clamp the sheet of metal 39 to it and are also the medium through which the whole meter is fixed to the wall, the external wires entering the meter from the sides at the bottom corner, and when used as a threewire meter the neutral enters at the bottom in the center. All external wires are joined to the internal circuits by the connectors or binding-posts 23. A shunt lb of constant resistance connects the said posts together, being equally divided into two sections of equal resistance by the middle or neutral post. Other leads lead from the outer posts (one of which is in the form of a loop 42) to the electrodes 13 and 13, that penetrate the top and bottom walls of the mercury-chamberand make contact with the mercury, one at each side of the concentrated and powerful field maintained beneath the pole-piece 5, one of the electrodes being above and the other beneath the disk. A portion of the direct current that is being measured passes to the edge of the disk from the upper electrode and traverses the disk through the heart of said field, passing out by the lower electrode. The total strength of both the field and the current being concentrated at this one point gives to the armature a powerful torque, which sets up a rotation that is opposed somewhat by the friction of the mercury, but mainly in this case by Fou cault currents generated in the closed copper conductor of low resistance, rotated with but a small part lying within the concentrated field. The portion lying outside providing a return-path of very low resistance with little or no counter electromotive force for the cur rent generated within the field, as these dragcurrents at a certain field density and velocity are proportionate to the conductivity of their available path, it is obvious that they are considerably augmented by theintroduction of the heavyamalgamated copperring26 around the pole-piece 5, it furnishing the shortest possible path for the return-current and being stationary has absolutely no counter electromotive force. I also obtain a like result by amalgamating the entire face next the armature of the polepiece 5, but if carelessly treated the amalgamation may not prove permanent and the skin resistance of the iron is too high to be of much value with currents of so low a potential. Therefore I prefer the stationary copper close to the field. I have also determined that instead of insulating the main surfaces of the armature or treating it to prevent amalgamation it is very much betterv to amalgamate it so as to reduce the resistance between it and the stationary conductor, close to which it revolves, and also for the reason that revolving in so narrow a space on account of the peculiar cohesive action of fluid mercury amalgamation materially assists the disk in running free from the adjacent walls and any dust or dirt that may be clinging to these surfaces, which I will endeavor to explain. It is evident that the pressure of mercury on the interior of the chamber is very light, as its head is only about one-fourth of an inch. The natural action of this mercury when under no great pressure is to draw itself together in a thick mass of about one-sixteenth of an inch with rounding edges. It is not inclined to push its way into very narrow space, but rather seeks the larger mass. As it is desirable to have as little space in the chamberas possible for various reasons I have adopted about one thirtysecond of an inch clearance on each side of the armature-disk, and as it is not practical to make the armature always run absolutely true and when inclosed it cannot be exactly determined when it is perfectly parallel with the walls it will very often come closer to one wall or one partthereof than the other. In this case I have found after tedious and exasperating investigation that the mercury has a tendency to desert the narrower space for the larger and denser mass. Thus the closer the disk comes to the wall the greater the urging of the mercury to crowd the disk against the wall. When quite close and the mercury head is small, it will finally break away and recede entirely from the closest point, leaving a vacuum or air-space with little or no pressure at that point, while at the other side the pressure, though small,is constantand crowds IIO the disk tight up against the wall, where it binds, the only thing in that case to prevent it being the rigidity of the shaft, which is necessarily slender and consequently somewhat elastic. I have found that amalgamation of the main surfaces of the armature is a very effectual cure for this inclination, as when it is thoroughly amalgamated every portion of its surface has an aflinity or tendency to draw mercury, something after the nature of capillary attraction, and will even pick up the heavy globules of mercury. On account of this when the armature is in any way forced close to the side and mercury is displaced the tendency of that point of the armature is to draw and retain mercury, and thus tend to crowd the disk away and assist in centering the armature.

The leads 49 and a9, carrying the current from the binding posts to the electrodes 13 and 13, are joined to the electrodes by being clamped to them at the junctions 48 and 48 by screws, and as it is desirable that these contacts be readily separable, so that the body can be easily removed from the meter, and it being important that the resistance of the contact be low and constant I have devised a means of making them so by amalgamating their contact-surface before they are clamped together.

The arrangement of the interior circuits is such that only a portion of the measured current is diverted through the armature, depending upon the size of the meter. In the smaller size nearly the total current passes through the armature; but the proportion is such in all sizes that about twenty amperes only are diverted through the armature at full load, the rest going through shunt 16, which is connected across the binding'posts in shunt to the armature-circuit. The two legs of the loop 42 of the armature-circuit run parallel and close enough together so that they can be easily short-circuited at any point by a drop of solder from asoldering-bolt. In this way the resistance of the armature-circuit is easily altered, so as to get the desired speed from the meter at a certain load. The solder is then painted over to prevent amalgamation in case of contact with mercury. I have determined by actual test that by the use of the center or neutral binding-post and the meter connected into circuit in the mannershown in the drawings and by changing the gear in the recording mechanism, or by the use of a constant two, the meter will accurately register the true and total amount of current used by the translating devices on either or both of the circuits fed from the three-wire-service cut-out 34, which is broadly defined in my claims and which is accomplished by the natural distribution of the current in the metercircuits according to Ohms law.

The integrating mechanism (shown on Sheet 1) is after the common cylinder-disappearing type, which is introduced to show my differential reciprocating gear added thereto, and

consists, essentially, of the set of numbered cylinders 17, provided with circles of twenty pins or teeth each, all set in the same direction, with the common arrangement of pinions for communicating the advance movement of one figure to each cylinder by the one of next smaller decimal place each time it has completed its revolution of ten figures. My addition thereto consists of two pawls 22 and 22, driven by crank 43 and engaging with the twenty pins or ratchet-teeth of the end cylinder, (shown to the right of the mechanism,) they being peculiarly arranged and designed so that they are self-guiding and particularly free from friction, one being a pushing and the other a drawing pawl, both cooperating in alternation one with the other to drive the counting-cylinders in a positive direction regardless of the direction of the rotation of the armature and of the intermediate wheels and crank. It will be observed that both pawls are of similar design. The best result is obtained with the bottom one a trifle shorter than the top. They are stamped from very light or thin aluminium in L shape, the short arm pointing up being bent over on itself in a short loop, so as to point down again and so engage and rest upon the upper side of the pins or ratchet-teeth with its tip 36, the thin flat or web part 38 of the pawl hanging down as a pendant in the narrow space between the ends of the pins of the ratchetwheel and the brass frame piece 37 on the other side. In this way they have plenty of room to work back and forth perfectly free, so they cannot bind and are so guided that the engaging tip 36 cannot escape the ratchetpins. A pinion-axis across the top of the mechanism prevents the top pawl from falling out of its guideway when the meter is thrown in an averted position, and as there is nothing to cramp or obstruct it is certain to fall back into its pendent position (hanging from its tip 36 and the crank 43) when the meter is righted again, the axis of the counting-cylinder acting as a like guard for the bottom pawl.

It will be observed that the worm-wheel 19 is driven by the worm 8 and that the shaft of 19 carries a pinion 21, which drives a wheel 44:, having close to the other end of its shaft the bent center crank, one bend of which plays in a recess of sufficient size cut in the side or end 3'7 of the brass frame, the outer end of this shaft being journaled in the piece of brass screwed up against the outside of 37 partly for that purpose. It will be observed that the crank moving forward will push the counter-cylin der forward with the lower pawl and that in moving backward will draw the cylinder in the same direction by the upper pawl. By this dual action several advantages are gained in addition to the structural improvements. A crank with half the radius will perform the same work in a given time. The indication of the cylinder is more constant with that of the meter. There is but onehalf of the load strain on the meter in overcoming friction of turning the cylinders at any one time. A stationary detent (and its extra drag or friction) to prevent the cylinder from going back when the pawl would be receding is dispensed with.

Referring to some of the various forms in which this type of my meter can be made up and first to Fig. 1], it will be seen that ils receptacle is formed from two vulcanized-fiber disks and a fiber washer clamped between their edges by twelve screws that pass through them and are threaded into the bottom disk. The-faces of the four iron pole-pieces arejust flush with the interior walls of the disks, as in Fig. l, and being diametrically opposite form two concentrated fields one-eighth of an inch wide between them,which are maintained by the two permanent magnets 1 and 1, which, it will be noticed, have their poles so disposed that the lines of force in one field are opposite in direction to that of the other in the same manner as in Fig. 9, in which the two fields are maintained by the two opposite poles of the same magnet through the medium of the pole-pieces 5 and 5, presented to and yoked together by the iron plate 6, which forms the bottom of the receptacle. In Fig. 11 two outer-connections are shown,with electrodes leading down through the upperdisk, so as to make contact with the mercury at the outer borders of the two fields, and as their magnetic polarities are opposite it is obvious that a direct current passed through the disk from one of the outer connections to the other the current would act equally in both fields to rotate the disk in a certain direction, and if a neutral wire from the same system be connected to thecenter bearingscrew (designated in this case as an electrode 13) it divides the current, so that any current passing bet ween the positive or negative electrode and it in excess of that passing between it and the other would increase the torsion strain exerted in that field in direct proportion to the excess of current passing through it. Consequently the velocity of the armature and record of the meter would be in accordance thereto, even so if the meter being connected in circuit in the manner shown in Fig. 12, and it, with all the lights on, either of the two circuits should be turned out the registration of the meter will show but the number burning on the one circuit, in which case it would be equivalent to a two-wire meter. In Fig. 9 only two connections are shown, one at the outside and one at the center to particularly illustrate that it is not essential that, in a meter used on a two-wire circuit, the current should pass two poles. Likewise a meter having a center post can be used with current passing bot-h poles on a,,two-wire circuit, due allowance being made with a constant.

Fig. 13 is introduced about the natural size, so as to bring out distinctly some of the details. The pole-piece 5 may be forced firml y into a hole adapted therefor in the fiber (which is quite flexible and slightly elastic) either by means of screw-threads cut thereon, as is particularly shown in this figure, or without said threads it may be forced directly into said hole bya powerful press, and thus be tightly retained by the elasticity 0f the surrounding material. The upper copper ring 26 is shown screwed up a short distance above the face of the plate 3, in which position the resistance of its path for the Foucault currents is considerably increased by the intervening mercury,whirh has a resistance of about one hundred times that of copper, so that the raising or lowering of this ring alters the strength of the drag-currents and varies the speed of the meter. Notches are shown on the top edge of the ring, so a pointed instrument could beintroduced through asmall opening 46 in the cover, (shown only in Fig. 13,) and by means of it the ring could be screwed around notch by notch, thus accomplishing the adjustment. To facilitate filling and discharge, I have devised second opening and stopper screws 35 at edge of chamber..

Where the shunt 16 is used in connection with the armature-circuit, Iconsiderit of advantage to make the shunt of a conductor with a small heat coeificient, such as German silver, in comparison with that of the leads for the armature-circuit connected in shunt to it, which I make of a conductor having a larger heat coeflicient, such as copper, so that when the temperature of a meter is increased a smaller percentage of the total current will pass through the armature, thus decreasing the torque and compensating somewhat for the decrease of the drag-currents in the disk due to the increase of the resistance of the copper of which the disk is constructed.

The phrase three-wire system is to be understood as a system of distribution patented by T. A. Edison and as commonly used and known as the Edison three-wire system.

It is obvious that a circular body revolving in a continuous unbroken field-such as is employed byS. Z. De Ferranti in his meters, consisting of an unbroken annular pole-piece concentric with and above the revolving conductor and another similar pole-piececan generate no Foucault dragging currents, although lines of force may be continuously cut by the revolving conductor, for the reason that electromotive force is established in. all directions and counter action 'is the result, hence his necessity for a field varying as the current to balance the mercury friction increasing as the square of the velocity. In this case the expression discontinuous field or pole-piece is to be understood as being in distinction to such a field as is commonly employed by De Ferranti and in which there can be no etfective Foucault currents unless stationary conductors of similar function to those set forth as 26 in this case are employed. On account of the mercury friction already referred to in a mercurymeter with a submerged armature feeble or ordinary Foucault currents are of no avail, the resultant meter being of no practical worth and would probably make a showing similar to or worse than the curve of the experimental meter shown on Sheet 3 of my patent referred to in the first page hereof. A practical meter is only attained when every feature is especially designed to get the greatest dragging effect that can possibly be attained, giving all other matters asecondaryconsideration.

For several practical reasons I consider the meter here described a marked improvement on the one having the cylinder-armatu re claimed in my patent referred to above; but in the claims here made, having particular reference to the disk-armature and field construction, it is to be understood that they are made strictly in distinction from the cylinder form set forth in said patent.

I am aware that a disk-armature submerged in mercury is not new; but I do not believe that any of the various combinations hereby set forth were ever known or used before my invention thereof.

I do not here specially claim the forms shown having two fields, as they rightfully forms the subject of the claims of Case B, filed with like text and even date herewith, being Serial No. 22,504.

\Vhat I do claim is- 1. In an electric meter, a simple fiat disk of copper submerged in mercury and rotated in a magnetic field by a direct current conducted by said disk through said field; a controlling device being an electrical generator automatically developing within said disk restraining Foucault current in proper amount with the propelling-current to determine to the shaft of the meter aspeed of rotation varying practically in proportion with the meas ured current passing through said meter; and a stationary conductor 26, constituting a part of said controlling device.

2. In an integrating electric meter, a revolving armature consistingofa circular piece of sheet-copper submerged in mercury and having its two main parallel faces completely amalgamated for the purposes set forth.

3. In an integrating electric meter, an armature revolving in a magnetic field and consisting of a circular piece of copper and having that portion of its two main parallel opposing surfaces moving within said field,amalgamated for the purposes set forth.

4. In an integrating electric meter, an amalgamated armature submerged in mercury and revolving within a magnetic field, and a stationary amalgamated conducting-surface, in close proximity to said field and armature for the purpose set forth.

5. In an integrating electric meter, a means of regulating its speed, consisting of an amalgamated copper disk, submerged in mercury and revolving in the field of a drag-magnet; an amalgamated stationary conductor acting as a return or a part of the circuit for the current generated in the disk, by its movement in the said field, and a suitable device for altering or adjusting the resistance of said circuit, thereby controlling the amount of dragcurrent generated.

(5. In an integratingelectric meter, an amalgamated armature submerged in mercury, and revolving between magnetic pole-pieces, and a stationary amalgamated conductor, consisting of a copper ring around or close to said pole-pieces and close to said armature for the purpose set forth.

'7. In an electric meter a wormgear coupling the drive-shaft 4 to the counting mechanism, in which the worm is a spiral, fitted into threads cut into said shaft, substantially as shown and specified.

8. In an electric-meter counting mechanism, the thin web spiral worm S, detachably fitted into shallow threads in shaft 4 substantially as shown and specified.

9. In a meter counting mechanism, a reciprocating drive consisting of the individual revolving drive-crank 43; the two pawls 22 and 22, carried by said crank; and the revolving part 17; said pawls, by their reciprocating action in alternation, communicating a motion of a given direction to the revolvinr part 17 of said mechanism regardless of the direction of the rotation of said crank substantially as shown and for the purpose specified.

10. In a reciprocating driving-gear for an electric-meter counting mechanism,a drivingpawl 22, a ratchet-wheel l7, rotated in a given direction bysaid pawl; a part 37 being agnide close beside said-wheel; a part 38 being a web pendentportion ofsaid pawl; playing between the wheel 17 as a guide on one side, and the fixed guide 37 on the other; the engaging tip 36 projecting above and to one side from the guiding portion of said pawl, so as to engage the upper side of the ratchet-teeth substantially as shown and specified.

11. In an electricmeter for an Edison threewire circuit; a certain individual indicating device for showing the amount of current passed through the meter; three binding posts for leading the measured current to and from the meter; a continuous conductor of low resistance connecting the two outer ofsaid posts together, its resistance being equally divided into arms by the third post or neutral being centrally connected to it; a suitable motor to operate said indicating device, so applied that the movement of indication will be influenced by the current passed, and in direct keeping with the sums per arm passed through said continuous conductor of low resistance, irrespective of which arm or the proportionate distribution of current in the arms said current may traverse, substantially as specified.

12. In an electric meter measuring the current on a three-wire system supplied to translating devices on each side of said system, by separate two-wire circuits, branching from each side of said system after a manner shown and described, a continuous conductor being electrically divided into two sections or arms of like conductivity, by an intermediate connection to a neutral conductor of said system; said continuous conductor acting as a bridge joining the inner leads together and to said neutral from the translating devices from opposite sides of said system, so that the current in passing will adjust itself in the arms in accordance with their respective translating devices in use and a suitable individual registering device for computing the amount. of current used by any or all the translating devices that may be in circuit with said conductor-arms.

13. In a meter for measuring the electric current on an Edison three-wire system; a motor driven by the energy of the measured current; a circuit in said meter leading the current to said motor; a shunt-circuit connected in shunt to said motor-circuit; three connectors to said shunt, for the external Wires or circuits; a central connection to said circuit, being one of the three said connectors; two sections of equal resistance in said shunt-circuit, one at each side of said central connection and between the two outer of said three connections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

14. In an electric meter for measuring the electric current on an Edison three-wire system, an electric motor consisting of a metallic armature submerged in mercury rotating in a magneticfield; a shunt-circuit connected in shunt with the armature-circuit of said motor, connections for connecting three wires from the external circuits of said systems, thus dividing said shunt into two sections of equal resistance, between them so that the measured current will distribute in said meter-circuits in accordance to whatever translating devices may be in use, and driving said motor at a velocity in proportion to the current being used.

15. In an electric meter for use on an Edison three-wire system, a suitable definite registering device; a work-circuit for actuating said registering device, a shunt-circuit connected in shunt to said work-circuit; three connections from said system to said shunt, dividing it into two sections of equal resistance, and diverting current through said work-circuit in proportion to the varying consumption of current by any translating devices fed from said system, so as to be measured by said meter, thus registering on said definite registering device the true amount of any current that may pass.

16. In a mercurial electric meter, a means of regulation consisting of an armature-circuit. being an armature submerged in mercury and a set of conductors leading current to and from it; a shunt of constant resistance connected in shunt to said armature-circuit; a device for altering or regulating the resistance in said armature-circuit; so as to regulate the proportion of the current that passes through the armature thus determining the speed of the meter.

17. In a mercurial electric meter at body or mercury-receptacle consisting mainly of a disk-like piece 3 of non-magnetic material, and a disk-like piece 6 of magnetic material; a washer-like distance part between them so as to leave a narrow space for a mercury-chamber, substantially shown and specified.

18. In a mercurial electric meter, a body or mercuryreceptac e consisting mainly of a disk-like piece 3 of vulcanized fiber; and a disk-like piece 6 of iron; a ring or washer distance-piece between their peripheries, joining them togetherin a manner to makea mercurytightjoint and maintain between them a narrow space for said mercury.

19. In a mercurial electric meter, a disklike part 3; being non-magnetic, forming one side of the mercury-chamber, and having a concentrated magnetic pole-piece penetrating its wall with a mercury-tight joint so as to present its face close to and parallel with the revolving armature, substantially as shown and specified.

20. In a mercurial electric meter, a disklike part 3 being non-magnetic, forming one side of the mercury-chamber; a small circular magnetic pole-piece 5 penetrating said part or wall; a concentric hole through said non-magnetic part 3 for the introduction of the armature-shaft, substantially as shown and specified.

21. In a mercurial electric meter, a mercury well or chamber; a section of flexible insulating material, forming a portion of the wall of said chamber; a rounding magnetic pole-piece 5; a rounding hole a trifle smaller than said pole-piece cut through said wall, so that the pole-piece being forced into it will be firmly held by the surrounding material forming a perfectly mercury-tight joint.

22 In an electric meter, a mercury-Well having a small opening at the top for the introduction of the armature-shaft; a stopper for said opening surrounding said shaft; and a cross-bar 29 normally disengaged from said stopper and being adapted to be swung into place across said stopper and pressing down on and holding said stopper thus sealing the opening and preventingthe spilling of mercury when the meter is transported in any position.

23. In an electric meter the backboard 10; the sheet metal 39 back of said backboard; the thin edge 12 of a removable sheet-metal cover adapted to fit around said backboard, when pushed back into position close against 39 and between the edge of said backboard and the bead 11; the elastic head or roll 11 on the edge of said metal plate 39 being a spring clamping said edge 12 of a removable cover tight up against the edge of the said backboard on the side thereof, producing thereby an insect and dust proof junction, substantially as shown and specified.

24. In a mercurial electric meter, a frame 9 therefor; constructed as follows; two wickets or arches each bent from a single strip of metal; a device for binding them rigidly together at their centers, to form a support for the top bearing of the armature-shaft; screws binding the ends or feet of said wickets firmly to a common bed or plate 3 at points diametrically arranged around a common center being said shaft; two screw-holes in the forward part of said frame for fixing and supporting an integrating mechanism.

25. In a mercurial integrating electric meter, having a permanent magnet-field, a frame 9 lying within said field, for supporting a counting mechanism, and the upper bearing 14 for a vertical shaft, said frame being made of aluminium for the purposes specified.

26. In an electric meter, a bath of mercury; an electrode 13 dipping into or making contact with said mercury; a stationary conductor making an electric junction with said electrode, by having their contact-surfaces firmly clamped together with an amalgamated surface between them, substantially as shown and specified and for the purposes set forth herein.

27. In a mercurial electric meter, a vertical shaft 4 a ballast weight or stopper 7; an elastic friction-clamp for sustaining the said weight upon the said shaft, substantially as specified.

28. In an electric meter a mercury-receptacle, a vertical shaft et; an upper cover 3 for said receptacle; a central hole passing up through said cover for said shaft, and for a mercury column or passage way combined witha vent-hole and stopper-35 down through said cover for facilitating the filling or emptying of said receptacle substan tially as shown and for the purpose specified.

29. In a mercurial electric meter, a verti cal shaft 4; a ballast weight or stopper 7; a spiral-spring clamp 24 for sustaining the said weight upon said shaft,substantially as shown and specified.

30. In an electric meter a circular metal armature submerged in mercury, a vertical shaft 4 for said armature; a ballast-weight 7 carried by said shaft to counteract the buoyancy of said armature in said mercury; small annular weights 41 with an opening at one side so they can be readily passed around or removed one by one from said shaft when both its ends are engaged, thus afiording a ready means of altering or adjusting the depressing-weight to balance the buoyancy of said armature in said mercury.

31. In a mercurial electric meter, a means of regulating said meter, consisting of a shuntcircuit, a portion of which is a loop in the form of a U or is doubled back on itself, so

that the going and coming legs thereof run parallel in close proximity with one another; and a drop of solder 37 applied at a point to give the desired conductivity by joining the two legs together thus short-circuiting a part of the resistance of said loop substantially as shown and specified.

32. In an electric meter a backboard 10 being the support for the mechanism of said meter; a metallic cover covering said mechanism and surrounding said board, insulatingcleats across the back of said board, a sheet of metal covering the back of said board so as to exclude exterior moisture from it, and completing the metal covering for said mechanism and backboard substantially as described.

33. In an electric meter a metal armature submerged in mercury a vertical shaft 4 for said armature, a multiple of depressingweights for counteracting the buoyancy of said armature in said mercury; a device for supporting said weights on said shaft, and a means by which a part of them can be readily removed or more of them may be added as the case may require for the purposes specified.

34:. In an electric meterin combination with an integrating mechanism, the disk 2 of copper submerged in mercury and being a closed conductor; the iron plate 6 forming the bottom pole-piece; the top non-magnetic piece 3, the small pole-piece 5 piercing the said part 3 and presenting its face parallel to the other said pole-piece; the permanent magnet 1 joining said pole-pieces, and maintaining a concentrated field between them, and suitable electrodes for leading and concentrating the passing current in said disk at the point of intersection of said field; all substantially as shown and specified.

35. In an electric-current meter, having a split or shunt circuit for conducting through the meter the measured current; a closed conductor 2 for a Foucault magnetic brake; an armature-circuit being one shunt or branch of said split circuit, and having a large and substantial part of its resistance composed of a conductor whose resistance increases more with any increase in its temperature than does the resistance of the other branch or shunt of said circuit, so as to decrease the proportionate amount in said armature-circuit of the total current passing through said meter so as to compensate somewhat for the decrease in dragging currents in said closed conductor, on account of any increase in temper-attire.

In testimony that I claim the above I hereby set my hand.

EDWARD S. I-IALSEY.

\Vitnesses:

GERTRUDE WILLIAMS, ETHEL CARNEY.

IIO 

